


Blood, Sex and Magick

by menel



Series: Revival [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blood Magic, F/M, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-05
Updated: 2013-02-05
Packaged: 2017-11-28 06:42:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/671453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menel/pseuds/menel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Our favorite archangel's not really dead. Not if Kali and Dean can do something about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Of Blood and Clauses

**Author's Note:**

> My first comment fic! Written in response to [heavenreturned's](http://heavenreturned.livejournal.com) prompt that goes like this: Dean feels Gabriel die. Kali is shocked at the deep connection he and the Angel had. She tries to get Gabriel back. For the both of them. Extra points if you can have Dean be the key to getting Gabe back. 
> 
> Dedicated to [heavenreturned](http://heavenreturned.livejournal.com) for providing the prompt, the inspiration, the encouragement and generally being a wonderful person. 
> 
> This fic was originally posted on my Livejournal on April 29, 2010.

Dean felt it like a punch in the gut. The force was so strong that it knocked the wind out of him, causing him to double over in pain as his right hand dropped from the wheel of the Impala to clutch his stomach. He was driving too fast and the car veered into the opposite lane before Sam reached over and managed to steady the wheel. 

“You okay?” Sam asked, looking worriedly at him. 

The pain did not recede and Dean struggled to pull the Impala to the side of the road, the grimace on his face giving Sam more cause for concern. They had not yet reached the highway and the side road showed no signs of life. 

“Dean!” Sam said, a little too sharply. “What’s wrong?” 

“I don’t know,” Dean gasped. 

The pain was intensifying, traveling from his belly into his chest, blooming out towards his back and up his shoulder blades. He felt almost paralyzed by it, his chest constricting to the point that he could hardly breathe. 

“It’s Gabriel,” a quiet voice said from the backseat of the car. 

“What?” 

Despite the pounding in his head and the liquid fire that seemed to be moving through his veins, Dean managed to turn around and look at the goddess sitting coolly and disinterestedly in the leather interior of the Impala. 

“What the fuck does Gabriel have to do with this?” he ground out. 

Kali fixed him with a piercing look. 

“You should let your brother drive,” she told him. “This is going to last a while.” 

Dean’s vision was becoming hazy. Kali’s blood red blouse seemed to be glowing in the darkness of the car, the red spreading out and covering everything. Red was all he could see before he lost consciousness.

* * * * *

When Dean came to, the first thing his eyes focused on was the figure of his brother leaning over him. “Enough with the baby-sitting,” he said, voice rough from disuse. “I’m not dying.”

Sam sat back in the chair that he had placed by the bed. “Y’know, for a while there,” he said seriously, “I wasn’t so sure. How’re you feeling?” 

“Like I’ve just been hit by a semi,” Dean replied, wincing as he propped himself up against the headboard. His head still throbbed slightly and his joints ached, but the blinding pain that he remembered was gone. “How long have I been out?” 

“Two days.” 

Dean turned in the direction of the voice to find Kali sitting at a table, legs crossed and nursing a martini. 

“Well, that explains the swankier digs,” he noted, taking in the tasteful decor on the walls, the queen-sized bed in which he found himself in, and the general spaciousness of the room. Correction. Suite. “What’s she still doing here?” he asked Sam in a low voice. 

“Uh, waiting for you, I think,” Sam said in an equally quiet tone. 

As if on cue, Kali stood up and walked towards the other side of Dean’s bed. She sat down beside him, draping an arm on the other side of his body as she leaned forward. A few nights ago when Dean thought she’d just been another hot chick, such an advance would’ve been welcome. Now he looked at her warily. 

“What did Gabriel give you before he faced Lucifer?” 

Not what he was expecting to hear. 

“He must have given you something,” Kali pressed. 

Dean made the motion of reaching inside his jacket pocket, forgetting that he wasn’t wearing his jacket. Sam was one step ahead of him and before Dean knew it, his younger brother was handing him his jacket. Dean reached in and pulled out the DVD. He hadn’t had a chance to get a good look at its title. 

“ _Casa Erotica 13_?” Sam read beside him, eyebrow arched. 

Dean shrugged. Everything had been so far from normal, even by their standards, for so long, that the DVD kinda made sense to him. “Maybe he’s a fan,” he suggested. “It is a good one.” 

Kali sighed and took the DVD away. “Typical,” she muttered. 

Dean couldn’t tell if she was referring to his attitude or the fact that Gabriel’s farewell gift would be _Casa Erotica_. Probably both. 

The goddess walked towards the entertainment system (there was an actual entertainment system in the room) and popped the disc into the player. In a few moments, Gabriel’s mug appeared on the screen in all its 60-inch plasma glory. His message was short and sweet, the porn was not. At least, Dean assumed it wasn’t since Kali stopped the disc before the action could really get started. It was probably for the best. Sam was starting to turn a little green. 

“He’s not really dead, you know,” Kali said slowly. 

“Come again?” Dean asked. 

Kali’s back was to the brothers and she stood in front of the TV, her left hand resting on her hip. Deliberately, she turned around and repeated, “He’s not really dead.” 

“O-kay,” Sam replied, exchanging perplexed looks with his brother. 

“Not when I have this,” the goddess explained, producing a vial of blood in her right hand and holding it up for the brothers to see. 

“The blood spell?” Sam questioned. “You can bring him back through the blood spell?” 

“Something like that,” Kali answered, tilting her head. “Gabriel is still bound to me. Even in death.” 

“Like we’re still bound to you,” Dean pointed out. 

The comment made the goddess smile. “I’m glad you remember that,” she said. Her tone grew serious as she walked towards the brothers. “I can only return Gabriel to his body. His vessel,” she corrected. “As for his grace…” Kali’s voice trailed off thoughtfully. “I’m going to need some help with that,” she ended, sitting by Dean’s bedside again. 

It took Dean a moment to follow her train of thought. “From me?” he asked, half-jokingly. 

Another smile curved along the goddess’s red lips as she leaned in to trace the line of Dean’s jaw with a lacquered fingernail, stopping under the tip of his chin. “I admit I find his choice unusual,” she conceded, “but _not_ unappealing.” She turned away, leaving Dean more confused than before. “We should go,” she stated. 

Before Dean could ask where, the three of them were standing outside The Elysian Fields Hotel. It was night and the hotel was dark. Kali walked towards the entrance and the lights sprang to life. A moment later, Sam followed suit. 

“Where are you going?” Dean hissed. 

Sam glanced back. “Where do you think?” 

“And since when do we trust vicious pagan goddess?” Dean asked. “Even the hot ones?” 

“Since she said she can bring Gabriel back.” 

“Yeah, about that,” Dean went on. “She hasn’t exactly told us what she’s going to do. How much do you wanna bet it involves some kind of blood sacrifice? It could be my ass on the chopping block.” 

“I don’ think so, Dean,” Sam answered, with a shake of his head. “If she wanted us dead, she could’ve done it at any time. She owns us, anyway,” he added, referring to the blood spells that Kali had also bound them with. He walked back towards his brother. “Kali wants to defeat Lucifer as much as we do, and we’re all going to have a better chance of doing that with Gabriel on our side. We should at least find out what she wants.” 

“Great,” Dean muttered. “Now we’re best buddies with the Destroyer.” 

“Hey, it was your idea to join forces with them in the first place,” Sam reminded him as they headed towards the hotel entrance. 

“We were out of options then.” 

“We don’t have a lot of options now.” 

Dean actually agreed but stayed silent. As he passed through the hotel doors, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still a sacrificial lamb.

* * * * *

The brothers found Kali in the convention room where the showdown with Lucifer had taken place. The room smelt like it had been burnt, and although the chairs had been strewn about and the tables dislodged, for the most part everything was intact. Kali was standing over Gabriel’s body, his blade still lodged in the middle of his chest. On the wooden floor and along the side of one of the long tables, the ash marks outlining Gabriel’s great wings could be seen. Dean was startled by the sight. A part of him had refused to believe that Gabriel was actually dead. He had thought that even if Gabriel had been unable to defeat Lucifer outright, the Trickster in him would’ve been able to outsmart his brother like he had outsmarted so many others before. But seeing those large wings splayed on the floor brought with it the certainty that this was not one of the Trickster’s illusions. He swallowed a lump in his throat, surprised by his own strong reaction.

“So, what’s next?” Sam asked, coming to stand beside him. 

In response, Kali stepped forward and pulled the blade from Gabriel’s chest. Instead of being covered in blood, the blade was clean and glinted in the light of the room. Then she turned to face Dean. 

“What did I say about a blood sacrifice?” Dean said under his breath to his brother, who was beginning to look alarmed. 

“Uh, Kali,” Sam started, moving to stand in front of Dean. 

“Relax,” Kali told him. “Dean’s not exactly a virgin. But he is right about the blood sacrifice.” 

“Will an arm do?” Dean asked dryly. “Or would you prefer a leg? How about a kidney?” 

Kali tilted her head. “Nothing quite so dramatic.” 

Before Dean realized what was happening, the archangel’s blade had a drop of blood resting on its tip. His blood. He ran his index finger under the curve of his jaw and felt where the blade had nicked him. “That’s it?” he asked incredulously. 

Kali laughed. “My part’s easy,” she told him. “Yours,” she continued, “is more interesting.” 

Dean hated being kept in the dark and by the expression on Sam’s face, his brother felt the same way. “Bloody cryptic pagan gods,” he said, loud enough for Kali to hear as she turned her attention back to Gabriel. 

Kali chose to ignore him, slipping off her stilettos in order to kneel beside Gabriel’s body. She leaned back on her heels as she took out the vial of the archangel’s blood and carefully placed a single drop on top of Dean’s blood. The brothers watched as the blood mixed together and spread to cover the top third of the blade. Clearly, Kali was working her mojo. 

The goddess lifted the blade in both hands and held it above Gabriel’s chest, the blade’s tip perpendicular to the archangel’s body. She began to chant a spell that the brothers didn’t recognize, the ancient tongue sounding foreign and melodious to their ears. The room grew dark as the chant progressed and Sam involuntarily shifted closer to his brother. The blade was glowing now, growing brighter and brighter as Kali’s voice grew louder. As the chant reached its crescendo, Kali plunged the blade back into Gabriel’s chest and there was an explosion of white light when the blade made contact. The room shook for a moment and then everything went dark. A few seconds later, the power came back on. Kali was still kneeling beside Gabriel’s body. Nothing appeared to have changed. 

“Did it work?” Sam asked uncertainly, glancing at his brother. Dean shrugged. 

Kali didn’t answer Sam, keeping her eyes fixed on the archangel. Suddenly, the body convulsed and Gabriel drew in a long breath, as if he were filling his lungs with air for the first time. 

“Owww,” he said when he exhaled. “That hurt!” he accused the goddess. 

“The part where Lucifer stabbed you?” Kali inquired. “Or when I did?” 

“Both,” Gabriel retorted. Then his eyes rested on the blade protruding from his chest. “Well, that’s just lovely,” he observed. 

“’Cos nothing says ‘I love you,’ like being stabbed in the chest,” Dean couldn’t help but say. Gabriel’s eyes met his and Dean could’ve sworn that a shot of electricity passed between them. He inadvertently looked at Sam to see if his brother had noticed anything, but Sam was just grinning at the archangel. 

When Dean looked back at Gabriel, he’d already gotten into a sitting position and was examining his own blade, contemplating whether or not to pull it out himself. Finally, he settled for arching an eyebrow at Kali and saying, “You mind?” 

Kali gripped the blade’s handle and pulled it out in one smooth motion, covering the wound it left behind with her free hand. 

“What?” Gabriel asked, noticing how close they were. “No thank you kiss for saving your life?” 

Kali leaned in some more as if she meant to comply, and then stopped abruptly just millimeters away from Gabriel’s face. “I just brought you back from the dead,” she said silkily. “I think we’re even.” Then she pulled away completely and stood up. Dean noticed that the wound in Gabriel’s chest was healed. There wasn’t even a tear in the archangel’s shirt to indicate where he had been stabbed. Twice. 

“Be careful with this one boys,” Gabriel said to the brothers as he got to his feet and tried to dust off the layer of ash that had settled on parts of his clothes. “She’s a real cock tease.” 

“I see being dead didn’t improve your personality,” Dean said, earning himself a withering look from the archangel. 

“It’s the snark that makes me so charming,” Gabriel countered. 

“Wow,” Sam said, seemingly oblivious to their exchange. “That was a lot easier than I thought it would be.” 

“Nothing’s ever that easy, Sam,” Dean said darkly, noting how Kali and Gabriel exchanged looks. 

“You didn’t tell him?” Gabriel asked, genuinely surprised. “And here I thought our verbal sparring was part of the foreplay.” 

Kali smirked. “I didn’t want to deprive you of the pleasure,” she said with a little too much satisfaction. 

“Enough with this cat-and-mouse bullshit!” Dean exploded, instinctively knowing that they were talking about him. “You said my part was more interesting than yours,” he said, directing his frustration at the goddess. “What did you mean by that?” 

Kali merely gave Gabriel a look that said, _He’s not my problem anymore_. “Remember,” she told him, ignoring Dean completely, “you have a time limit.” 

“Right you are,” Gabriel agreed, giving her a mock salute. “Dean,” he said, focusing his full attention on the elder brother, “I will explain everything. But first,” he said, holding up a finger for dramatic effect, “I’m _starving_. Being dead can do that to a guy. And since I want something healthier than eyeball tomato soup or candied fingers, I suggest we vamoose. You did bring your baby, right?” 

Dean didn’t budge. 

Gabriel let out an exasperated sigh and tried again. “What I have to tell you is best served with pie,” he said, hands outstretched in supplication. 

“We didn’t exactly drive here,” Sam informed him. 

Gabriel gave Kali a stern look and the goddess relented. “It’s parked outside,” she said. “The key is in your pocket,” she told Dean. 

Dean slipped his hand into his right jean pocket and sure enough, his fingers closed around the familiar key of the Impala. 

“Enough talk,” Gabriel declared, already walking towards the doors. “Let’s blow this joint!”

* * * * *

The drive towards the nearest diner wasn’t the most uncomfortable one in Sam’s life. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the time he and Dean had driven Ellen and Jo back to the Roadhouse after the latter had slipped out to join them on a hunt. Nor was it as awkward as their time-traveling stint with their parents after John had just found out that angels, demons and all sorts of scary monsters actually existed. Not to mention that he’d married into a family of hunters. But it was close.

Dean was fuming beside him. He could tell by the tight line of his brother’s jaw whenever he glanced at Dean’s profile. It could be seen in the way Dean gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly and how he changed gears with a little less finesse than usual. Sam was also pretty sure that Dean wasn’t feeling a hundred percent yet, but was too proud and too irritated to admit it. Occasionally, his eyes met Gabriel’s in the rearview mirror and Sam was certain that something was passing between them but he couldn’t figure it out. As for Gabriel, his behavior was far more worrying than Dean’s. The Gabriel that the brothers were familiar with was playful and mischievous. He loved the sound of his own voice and his uncharacteristic silence was starting to freak Sam out. Instead of lounging in the backseat as Sam had expected, Gabriel sat stiffly and stoically. He almost looked angelic. 

When the three of them finally slid into a booth in Uncle Joe’s Diner, Dean broke the silence. 

“Why didn’t you just zap us here?” he asked Gabriel flatly. “Y’know, use that angel mojo of yours. You’ve never had any problem with just sending us wherever you want us to go. Or anybody else for that matter.” 

Gabriel didn’t even look up from his menu. “Because I can’t,” he answered. He dropped the menu slightly so he could meet Dean’s eyes. “At least . . . not yet,” he added with a waggle of his eyebrows. Then the menu came up again and Gabriel continued to study it. 

“What do you mean you can’t?” Dean was still annoyed. As far as he was concerned that wasn’t an answer at all. 

“Because he’s not an angel,” Sam filled in for him. 

“Bingo!” Gabriel said, hailing a waitress over. 

“What does _that_ mean? You’re human?” Dean said in disbelief. 

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” 

Dean turned to face his brother who was sitting beside him. “How did you even know that?” 

“Earlier Kali said that she could only restore Gabriel to his body, his vessel. Remember? She said that she would need some help restoring his grace. I’m guessing that’s where you come in.” 

“Right again, Sam,” Gabriel chirped. “I guess you really are the smarter brother.” 

Sam gave the not-yet-angel a sarcastic smile. 

“Fine,” Dean said, grudgingly accepting the situation. “That still doesn’t tell me what I’m supposed to do.” 

Gabriel leaned forward conspiratorially. “That’s what we need the pie for,” he said in a low tone. When he leaned back, the waitress arrived and he flashed her a genuinely charming smile before proceeding to order a third of the menu. “You guys want anything?” he asked the brothers off-handedly when he was done. 

“I’m good,” Sam said, stunned by the amount of food that was going to be served. He didn’t think it would all fit on the table. 

“Same here,” Dean agreed. 

“You should eat something. You’ve been out for two days,” Sam reminded him. 

“Two days,” Gabriel repeated looking at Dean. He seemed to find this detail interesting. 

“Well, I’m sure I can just mooch something off him,” Dean replied. 

“Presumptuous.” Gabriel’s tone was dry, but he was smiling. He handed his menu back to the waitress, sneaking a look at her nametag as he did so. “I guess that’s it, Carla,” he said amiably. 

“You do realize,” Sam said as Carla walked away, “that if you eat all that food in your frail human body, you’ll be sick.” 

Gabriel shrugged. “Old habits are hard to break,” he admitted. “Now,” he said, tapping his fingers in a drum roll on the table’s surface, “on to the main event. Dean,” he said seriously, “you and I need to have sex.” 

If Sam had been drinking something, he would’ve choked for sure. As it was, another uncomfortable silence followed Gabriel’s proclamation. 

“Oh, come on!” Gabriel said after a moment. “You and me in the sack? The sex’ll be epic!” 

Sam couldn’t contain himself any longer and he burst out laughing. It was the only normal reaction. He laughed until he realized that Dean was deathly still beside him and that Gabriel had the most serious expression on his face that he’d ever seen. 

“Wait,” Sam said hurriedly, aware that the tension at their table was rising to dangerous levels. “What does sex have to do with restoring your grace?” 

“Everything,” Gabriel replied. 

“Give us a straight answer,” Dean said in a lethal tone, “or I will drag your sorry ass out that door and beat the living crap out of you. And there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

“You can drag my ass anywhere you want to tonight,” Gabriel said with a lascivious grin. 

Sam instantly grabbed his brother’s arm to prevent him from lunging across the table and throttling Gabriel, which Dean was likely to do at this point. “Let’s all just try and stay calm,” he said, adopting the role of mediator. “Dean and I just need a clearer picture of what’s going on.” 

“And how sex entered the picture,” Dean added humorlessly. 

Gabriel looked like he was about to make another sex joke but then thought better of it. 

“Well, since you knuckleheads couldn’t be swayed from your suicide mission of trying to kill my bro, I needed a back-up plan in case Lucifer actually killed me.” Gabriel paused. “Which he did.” 

“Go on,” Sam said. 

“I knew Kali had my blood,” Gabriel continued. “If she dies, then I’m set free. So are you two, in case you’re wondering. But if I die and she lives,” Gabe cocked his head. “Now that’s where it gets interesting. Kali may be known as the destroyer, but the other half of destruction is creation, and Kali can dole them both out in equal measure. She just prefers the former. It’s more fun.” 

Gabriel paused as Carla returned with two of his orders, strawberry pancakes with extra strawberry syrup and a bacon cheeseburger deluxe. He flashed her another winning smile as she put the plates down in front of him. Gabriel slid the bacon cheeseburger across the table in front of Dean. “You should eat that,” he said. “You’re going to need all your strength tonight.” 

Sam looked down at the white tabletop, silently praying that his brother would let that innuendo go. 

Dean was wondering the same thing, but the smell of the burger was distracting him. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he was actually hungry too. “Somebody’s going to get punched before this night is through,” he muttered to his brother before taking a massive bite out of the bacon cheeseburger. 

“Why stop there?” Gabriel queried, digging into his pancakes. “I’m a big fan of whips and handcuffs.” 

“Moving on,” Sam said, a little too loudly. He was relieved that Dean was too busy chewing to shoot back a reply. 

Gabriel swallowed and grinned. Getting Dean all riled up was way too easy. 

“As I was saying,” he said, “I knew that Kali had my blood, but being an angel makes things a little tricky. This is just a vessel, after all,” Gabriel said, making a sweeping motion with his hands, “and blood does not equal grace. So, I had to trap my grace somewhere.” 

“Are you saying that you gave your grace to Dean?” 

Sam was starting to put things together. By contrast, Dean was heavily involved in his bacon cheeseburger. 

“How?” Sam exclaimed. “Shouldn’t it have killed him? He’s not your vessel.” 

“Details, details,” Gabriel said, waving the questions away with a flick of his fork. 

“Gabriel,” Sam said sternly. “It’s important.” 

“Because the devil’s in the details?” Gabriel laughed at his own joke, but Sam only sighed. 

“Do you take anything seriously?” 

“On the contrary,” Gabriel said, as two more orders arrived, one dish sweet and the other savory, “I’m taking this _very_ seriously.” 

“So, how did you give Dean your grace?” Sam persisted. 

“And what does sex have to do with this?” Dean cut in. 

“Don’t worry, big boy,” Gabriel answered, “we’ll get to that.” He glanced down at the Salisbury steak beside what was left of the strawberry pancakes. “I’m going to need more mashed potatoes.” 

Carla was headed back to their table, carrying three plates this time. Gabriel took the opportunity to order a side of mashed potatoes. 

Sam leaned back as one of the plates was placed in front of him, even though he hadn’t ordered anything. “This is ridiculous,” Sam said. “You can’t possibly eat all this.” 

“You could always help me,” Gabriel suggested, popping a French fry into his mouth. 

Dean had given in to his stomach completely. A bacon cheeseburger deluxe wasn’t going to be enough. “Pass me the chili dog,” he said, in-between chewing the last bite of his burger. 

Sam looked slightly disgusted, but he did as Dean asked. “I don’t suppose you ordered a salad?” he asked Gabriel, hopefully. 

“Why would I do that?” 

“Of course,” Sam sighed. “You two deserve each other.” He wasn’t the least bit surprised to feel a sharp jab in his side where Dean elbowed him. 

“Grace,” Dean stated. “How’d you trap it?” 

“Anna’s grace was trapped in a pendant,” Sam mused aloud. “Maybe Gabriel did the same thing. The DVD?” 

Gabriel gave Sam a look that clearly said he no longer thought that Sam was the smarter brother. “No,” he said witheringly, “because that would be stupid. Not to mention impossible.” 

“The Impala,” Dean interrupted, looking at Gabriel steadily. “You touched my hand in the Impala.” 

Gabriel placed a hand over his heart. “Dean,” he said mockingly, “You move me. I didn’t think you’d remember.” 

“Remember?” Dean said incredulously. “My hand started to burn after that, you dick. But you tend to push those details to the back of your mind when Lucifer’s in the building.” 

“It’s not burning now, is it?” Gabriel inquired, reaching forward to pull Dean’s right hand towards him. 

Dean couldn’t explain why, but he let Gabriel do so. The former archangel ran his thumb back and forth in the space between Dean’s right thumb and forefinger. He held Dean’s gaze as he did so and Dean didn’t flinch. Sam finally figured out what he couldn’t place while they had been driving. Dean and Gabriel had chemistry. Great chemistry. Now that he was aware of it, it seemed to electrify the air. 

“Right,” Sam said, averting his eyes. The simple gesture now seemed oddly intimate to him. “So, you transferred your grace to Dean in the car.” 

Gabriel tore his eyes away from Dean and looked at Sam in a way that made Sam feel very small, while Dean used the moment to pull his hand back. Sam briefly saw a U-shaped mark on the back of Dean’s hand where Gabriel had been stroking it. He had mistaken it for just another scratch, but now realized that it was something else entirely. Gabriel’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. 

“No,” Gabriel said, talking to Sam like a four-year old. “ _That_ would’ve killed him. The mark I left on Dean was more of a conduit. A spell, if you like. My get-out-of-jail-free card. Besides,” Gabriel was now cutting a piece of steak, “my bro’s smart. He would’ve known right away if I was facing him without all guns blazing.” 

“So when Lucifer stabbed you . . .” Sam’s voice trailed off. 

“That‘s when my grace made a beeline for Dean,” Gabriel finished off. He looked at Dean. “I bet that really hurt.” 

Dean wanted to smack the self-satisfied look off Gabriel’s face but it seemed like too much effort, so he settled for glaring at him. 

“I still don’t see how Dean was able to absorb your grace without dying,” Sam said dubiously. “And whatever happened to vessels have to say ‘yes’ before they can be taken over by an angel? And what’s up with that DVD?” 

Gabriel’s thin-lipped smile told Sam that his questions were starting to wear thin. But Sam couldn’t help it. He was an inquisitive guy. Plus, he’d refrained from bringing up the sex again, even though he now thought that was by far the most interesting question of all. 

“Twenty Questions has never been my favorite game,” Gabriel said, “so pay attention ‘cos I’m not going through this again.” He took a deep breath. “Dean is not my vessel, but he is a vessel. In fact, he’s THE vessel. So, if he can handle Michael, he can certainly handle me. 

“Secondly, I didn’t need his permission because I didn’t take over his consciousness. As you can see, I’m still me,” Gabriel paused, rethinking that statement. “Mostly,” he amended, “and Dean’s still Dean. I just needed some place to store my grace and I didn’t have a whole lot of options at the time. This was all kinda last minute, y’know?” 

“Yeah, that seems to be a pretty consistent theme,” Dean agreed. 

“My grace didn’t kill him because it was muted when it entered him. That’s why he’s been out for two days. That’s pretty good, by the way,” Gabriel added. “I thought it would’ve taken longer than that.” 

Dean did a quick double take. Unless he was mistaken, that sounded like a compliment. Instead of addressing it, he echoed one of Sam’s earlier questions. 

“And the DVD?” 

“Did you enjoy the show?” The lasciviousness was back in Gabriel’s tone. 

“I prefer the original,” Dean snapped. 

“Touchy!” Gabriel pretended to be offended. He began to eat his fourth dish of the night, baked macaroni and cheese. “It is what it is, the back-up plan to my back-up plan.” 

At the brothers’ blank expressions, he continued. “There were too many variables to consider. There was no guarantee that Kali would survive or that she’d even bring me back. There’s no guarantee right now that Dean will,” he hesitated, “finish the ritual. Had to make sure that you bozos still had a way of fighting the good fight, even without me.” 

“Wow, Gabriel,” Sam said, “that really sounds like you care.” 

Gabriel was saved from responding because Carla arrived with the pie. All seven slices since Gabe had ordered every flavor of pie on the menu. 

“Perfect timing, dear,” Gabriel praised and Carla gave him a warm smile. 

Dean made a grab for the apple pie a la mode. “The blueberry’s mine too,” he announced. 

“Well, now that the pie is here . . .” Sam raised an eyebrow. 

“We can talk about my favorite part,” Gabriel agreed with a wide grin. “The sex.” 

Dean nearly choked but maintained his composure. “Of course, you would have a sex clause in the ritual,” he grumbled. 

“Actually, that has nothing to do with me,” Gabriel replied. “Easterners,” he went on. “They’re really into the sex-as-healing thing. Their rep for being prudish and conservative is so misleading.” 

When the brothers didn’t react, Gabriel sat back. “Don’t tell me you boys have never tried Tantric sex?” He flashed Dean a lewd grin. “Dean, I’m surprised. You’re missing out.” 

“Is that how you and Kali hooked up?” Dean shot back. 

Gabriel chose to stay mum on the subject. “Look, this is just how it works. Some cultures believe that sex is the highest form of union between man and woman or between two beings. Not just in a biological or metaphorical sense, but _literally_. You and me? We fall in the last category. The only way for you to give me my grace back is through this union.” 

“And if I don’t?” 

For a brief moment Gabriel looked surprised as if he had never seriously considered the possibility, but he quickly covered it up with a non-committal shrug. “Then I stay human,” he said, “which, given the apocalypse, probably won’t be for very long.” 

“What happens to your grace?” Sam asked. “Does it just stay trapped in Dean?” 

“Hell no,” Gabe said. “That really would kill him. No, it’ll just pass out of him when the time’s up. And that’ll hurt just as much as when it entered you, just so you know.” 

“You just said it’ll pass out of me _when the time’s up_ ,” Dean repeated. 

“Not to put any more pressure on you,” Gabriel said, clearly about to put more pressure on Dean, “but we have a Cinderella clause to go with our sex clause. If you agree to seal this deal, then we have until midnight to do it. Otherwise, it’s permanent pumpkinland for me.” 

Dean closed his eyes for a long moment. 

“I’m going to need more pie,” he said at last. 

 

TBC


	2. Of Sex and Magick

Seven slices of pie later (three for Gabriel, three for Dean and even Sam had succumbed to the cherry pie), the brothers and the former archangel were headed back to The Elysian Fields Hotel. Dean was still noticeably tense behind the wheel of the Impala, but Gabriel was back to being himself, lounging in the backseat and lazily playing with a toothpick. Sam wondered absently whether or not any action would be happening tonight if both of them suffered from indigestion, but thought it prudent not to mention it. 

Kali was waiting for them when they arrived. It turns out that the goddess was something of a neat freak. The hotel was spotless, not a bloodstained wall in sight. Everything appeared to be in perfect working order. One could almost believe that The Elysian Fields was a regular four-star hotel except for the fact that it was completely deserted, save for Kali who was sitting in the lobby, flipping through the latest issue of _Vogue_ while nursing another martini. No one dared ask her what she had done with the bodies. 

“Progress?” Kali inquired, asking no one in particular. 

“Ask the muppet here,” Gabriel replied, shooting his thumb in Dean’s direction. 

Dean glared in response and then stalked in the direction of the bar. Sam looked from Kali to Gabriel before following his brother. 

Kali closed the magazine when the brothers were gone. “I could make him do it,” she said matter-of-factly. 

Gabriel wagged a finger at her. “That would be cheating,” he reminded her. 

“And since when have you and I been above bending the rules a little?” 

Gabriel’s face grew hard. “Not this time, Kali,” he warned her. “Dean does this of his own free will or not at all.” 

“You would risk losing your grace because of a mortal?” The disbelief and disdain in the goddess’s voice was clear. “You have too much faith in him.” 

Gabriel laughed, spreading his hands as though they were a neon sign. “Dean Winchester: Martyr-Complex Extraordinaire. He could be his own self-help group.” Then his tone grew serious. “We don’t have to worry about Dean. He always does the right thing. He’s predictable like that.” 

“If you say so,” Kali said disinterestedly, flipping the magazine open again. 

“However,” Gabriel continued, his playfulness returning as an idea occurred to him, “Dean doesn’t do the right thing _immediately_. He has to . . . muddle through first before reaching the right decision.” 

“Your point?” 

“My point is we have some time to . . . catch up.” 

Kali paused her perusal and looked Gabriel straight in the eye. Apparently, being mortal did nothing to curb his audacity. It was still such a turn-on. 

Gabriel knew he had her. With one last smile he turned and walked towards the elevators. The elevator doors opened the moment he pressed the button, but before they could close, Kali appeared in front of him and crushed their lips together.

* * * * *

Sam settled himself on a bar stool as Dean rummaged behind the counter. In a moment his brother reappeared with a short tumbler and a bottle of whiskey.

“Starting with Jack?” 

“Time’s short,” Dean answered, pouring himself a glass. “Thought I’d head straight for the good stuff.” Then he downed the whiskey in one go, enjoying the burning sensation of the liquid as it passed down his throat. “Want some?” 

“Sure.” 

Dean got another tumbler, poured some whiskey into it and then refilled his own glass. 

“What are we drinking to?” Sam said, turning his glass in his hand. 

“Do we need a reason?” 

Sam watched as his brother downed the second glass, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand when he was through. Sam swallowed some of his own whiskey and tried to think of what to say. He settled for the obvious. 

“So, what are you going to do?” 

“What would you do?” 

Sam didn’t hesitate. “I’d sleep with him.” 

Dean grinned humorlessly. “And here I thought you were the prude.” 

“Come on, Dean,” Sam said, leaning forward. “Think of the trade-off.” 

“Just take one for the team,” Dean stated, pouring himself another glass. 

“Well . . . yeah.” When Dean didn’t react, Sam continued. “An archangel. On _our_ side.” Still no reaction. “We’d have a real chance of defeating Lucifer.” 

“Yeah, because that went so well last time,” Dean agreed, the sarcasm dripping from his words. 

“That’s not fair,” Sam replied. “None of us were prepared. Now we’d even have the element of surprise. Lucifer thinks Gabriel’s dead.” 

Dean took another drink of whiskey. 

“What’s the problem?” Sam pressed. “Is it because Gabriel’s a guy? ‘Cos you know he’s not actually a guy. I mean, aren’t angels supposed to be pure light?” 

“First of all,” Dean interrupted, “Gabriel’s not an angel right now. And even if he were, the package is still what it is. Secondly,” and here a flash of irritation crossed Dean’s features, “give me a little credit, Sam. I’m more open-minded than that.” 

“Great,” Sam said, surprised by his brother’s forcefulness. “So, what’s the problem?” 

No answer. 

“It’s not like you’ve had issues with meaningless sex before.” 

Dean finished his third glass of whiskey. “Gabriel’s not just some random chick that I picked up at a bar,” he said testily. “It would be like . . . “ He tried to think of a fair comparison. “It would be like sleeping with Cas,” he said at last. 

While Sam wouldn’t have gone quite that far, he got Dean’s point. Stumped for something to say, he finished his drink. 

“But you know what the worst part is?” Dean was pouring himself another glass. 

Sam looked up. 

“The morning after.” Dean shook his head. “Never been too good with that part, but with Gabriel?” He took a swig. “The Apocalypse might be a better alternative.” 

Sam couldn’t argue with that. Instead, he tapped his glass and Dean obligingly refilled it. The brothers drank in silence. 

“There is something Gabe got right,” Sam said thoughtfully, after a while. 

Dean arched an eyebrow. 

“The sex probably will be epic.”

* * * * *

Kali buttoned her silver silk blouse, her back to Gabriel. “Under two hours,” she informed him. “Are you sure you don’t want me to intervene?” She turned around and waited for Gabriel’s response.

Gabriel was still in bed, wrapped in the haze of post-coital bliss. He smiled lazily at her. “You always were the love ‘em and leave ‘em type,” he said. 

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Kali replied, somewhat annoyed. 

Gabriel propped himself on a pillow. “Dean will be here,” he said, with so much confidence that Kali was taken aback, although she was careful not to show it. 

“If you say so,” she said and then was gone. 

She reappeared in the bar downstairs and was greeted by the sound of boisterous laughter. The Winchesters were still there, Dean behind the bar, Sam sitting in the stool in front of him. Between them was a bottle of Jack Daniels that was nearly empty. She walked towards them and slid into the stool beside Sam. 

Dean grinned at her. “What can I get for you?” he asked, good-naturedly. 

“A vodka martini,” she told him. “Two olives.” 

Dean had expected as much. As he went about making her drink, Sam smiled at Kali uneasily. In the two days they had been together waiting for Dean to regain consciousness, Kali had barely said three sentences to him. She had even stayed in the room beside theirs, dropping by every few hours to check on his brother. 

“How’s Gabriel?” Sam asked, hoping that didn’t sound as lame as he thought it did. 

Kali glanced at him as if only seeing him for the first time. Sam began to wonder if she would even deign to speak to him. 

“Taking things in stride,” she said at last. She looked at Sam more closely. “He has remarkable confidence that your brother will come through for him.” She waited for a response. 

“I . . . “ Sam hesitated. “I think . . .” 

“One vodka martini with two olives.” Dean presented Kali her drink with a mock flourish. 

Kali took a sip and gave Dean a mild look of approval. 

“So . . .” Dean looked the goddess in the eye. “Have you come down here to coerce me?” 

Kali put down her martini with a faint smile. Despite herself, she was growing to like this mortal. He was so direct. So very much like Gabriel. “Do I need to?” she asked seductively. 

Dean was leaning over the countertop. He was close enough to smell the scent of her perfume. It was musky and it instantly connoted danger. Sex and danger. Instead of answering her question, he finished his whiskey. “Where is he?” 

“Room 201. Waiting for you,” she added. 

Dean poured the rest of the whiskey into his glass and downed it in one go. 

“You actually need to be functional,” Kali said lightly. 

Dean grinned. “That’s never been a problem, princess.” 

Kali produced a key with the number 201 embossed at the end of its red leather chain and pushed it towards Dean. Dean slipped the key inside his pocket and looked from his brother to the goddess. “I guess it’s show time,” he said, flashing them both a cocky smile.

* * * * *

Dean had been planning to take the stairs but Kali saved him the trouble, whisking him straight to Gabriel’s room. He was slightly disoriented as he stood outside the door, trying to figure out the significance of the number 201. It came back quickly enough and he reached into his pocket to take out the key. “Here goes,” he said to himself as he opened the door.

He found Gabriel, dressed in a maroon robe, at the far end of the room, taking some grapes from what looked like a mini-buffet. “How can you still be eating?” Dean exclaimed, shutting the door behind him and striding into the room. 

Gabriel glanced at him and popped a grape into his mouth. “What can I say?” he shrugged. “Sex makes me hungry.” He ate another grape. “Besides, this is a gift from Kali,” he said. “You don’t want to offend her.” 

Dean surveyed the mini-buffet. It did look appetizing. Then he looked Gabriel up and down. “Are you . . .?” 

Another shrug. “Didn’t see the point in getting dressed again.” 

Dean shook his head. Trickster, archangel or human, it didn’t surprise him that Gabriel would get laid twice in arguably one of the most important nights of his life. “Where’s the mini-bar?” he asked, more to himself than to Gabriel. 

“Are you smashed?” Gabriel’s tone was amused. 

“Not enough,” Dean answered, spotting the mini-bar on his right. He walked towards it and pulled out a beer. Then he got another one for Gabriel, just in case. And that’s how the two of them ended up sitting at a table full of food going through a six-pack. Dean had to admit that Gabriel wasn’t such bad company when he wasn’t being a dick. 

“You killed me over a hundred times,” Dean accused. 

“I was trying to make a point,” Gabriel said. 

“Admit it,” Dean said, leaning forward, “you cared what happened to Sam and me, even way back then.” 

Gabriel stayed silent but Dean didn’t miss the way his eyes flicked to the wall clock just above Dean’s head. Dean knew what time it was. Just a little past 11:30pm. If Gabriel was anxious, he wasn’t showing any sign of it. Dean, on the other hand, was feeling anxious but the alcohol was doing its job of keeping his anxiety at bay. 

“Come on,” he said, polishing off the last of his beer. “We’re on the clock here.” 

“Dean,” Gabriel smirked. “You’re such a romantic.” 

Dean’s response was to yank Gabriel off his feet and drag him towards the bed, until they were standing just at its foot. Gabriel didn’t resist, but neither was he encouraging. He was watching Dean, waiting to see what he would do next. Dean was starting to find it unnerving that Gabriel was letting him take control, even though it was a position that he should have been comfortable with. They stood there for a long moment, until Gabriel broke his resolve and leaned forward ever so slightly. Dean didn’t mean to, but he involuntarily leaned back before he could stop himself. Gabriel froze. And that’s when Dean saw it. It had just been a flash but he knew it was real. Fear. Gabriel was afraid that Dean would reject him. Well, that wouldn’t do. 

Dean plunged in, holding the back of Gabriel’s neck with his left hand as he leaned down to kiss him. He shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that the former Trickster was an excellent kisser. Their kiss was not the hungry, face-sucking that Gabriel had displayed in his remake of _Casa Erotica_. It was slower and much more sensual, and Dean found his right hand resting on Gabriel’s hip as he fell into the kiss. Dean enjoyed kissing, but it was something he didn’t do as often as he would’ve liked. It was nice to just stand there and explore, to get to know someone. Dimly, he was aware that Gabriel was making him comfortable. 

When the kiss finally ended, Dean was resting his head forehead against Gabriel’s, his left hand still cradling Gabriel’s neck, his right arm now wrapped around Gabriel’s waist. Without his noticing it, Gabriel had also entwined his arms around Dean’s waist, flushing their bodies together. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” Dean said softly, wondering if he was so far gone that he’d actually said that out loud. He’d certainly been thinking it since he entered the room. 

“It’s really not that different,” Gabriel whispered back, trailing a line of kisses down Dean’s throat. 

Dean sighed. It had been so long since he’d been with anybody that he – 

His mind wouldn’t let him finish that thought and he kissed Gabriel again. Kissing was comforting, but Gabriel was a bit more demanding now, his kiss more insistent, his hands traveling under Dean’s shirt. The skin-on-skin contact enflamed Dean’s senses and he broke the kiss to take off his shirt, the rest of his clothing following soon after. 

Gabriel sat down on the bed and watched Dean undress, eyeing him as though he were a piece of candy. Normally, he was all about instant gratification, and if he had had his powers, he would’ve stripped Dean some time ago. But then he would’ve missed the pleasure of Dean stripping himself and Gabriel had always thought that Dean was a particularly beautiful human. That was high praise given the countless humans he’d seen in his lifetime. He moved up the bed, slipping off his robe as he did so. Dean followed him, tossing the robe to the side as Gabriel spread his legs, allowing Dean to settle on top of him.   
Dean marveled at how well they fit together. It was something he had not expected. He could feel Gabriel’s hands all over him, unraveling him much more quickly than he thought possible. He wanted to tell Gabriel to slow down, even as he realized that that was not the best idea. “We should’ve started sooner,” he murmured. 

Beneath him Gabriel was laughing and in a surprising show of strength, he turned them over so that he was on top. He sat up and straddled Dean. 

“Dean,” he chided. “You’re so tense. The Apocalypse has gotten you way too wound up.” 

“It’s only the end of the world,” Dean replied. 

“Been through that before,” Gabriel said, “so let me help you relax.” 

Even though Dean could guess what Gabriel was up to as he ran a hand down Dean’s chest, a little gasp still escaped him when Gabriel took him in hand, using long smooth strokes to bring him to full hardness. Dean closed his eyes, rocking his hips to match the motion of Gabriel’s actions. But his eyes flew open suddenly when he was surrounded by a different kind of heat, one that could only come from a warm, wet mouth. Dean looked down and saw Gabriel’s head in between his spread thighs. He was shallowly thrusting into Gabriel’s mouth, that is, until Gabriel placed a hand on each side of his hip to still him. Dean obeyed and was soon rewarded by an intense tightness and heat that cause him to arch his back in surprise. Gabriel was deep-throating him. 

“Oh, God!” he cried out, completely forgetting that with this particular partner, that word was blasphemous. 

Gabriel didn’t seem to mind, humming contentedly in his throat. 

“Stop,” Dean gasped. “Gabriel,” he pleaded, reaching down to grab a fistful of brown hair. “Not like this.” 

Gabriel apparently agreed, releasing him so he could crawl back up Dean’s body. With a wicked smile he said, “Taste yourself?” 

“You are a filthy, foul-mouthed angel,” Dean replied as he pulled Gabriel into another kiss. He tasted the salty tang of his own juices wrapped in the flavor that was distinctly Gabriel. There was a moist hardness pressing against his stomach and he reached down between their bodies to grasp Gabriel’s cock. This was certainly new to Dean, but he figured it couldn’t be that difficult. After all, he knew what he liked. And apparently Gabriel liked it too because his breathing grew heavier and more labored with Dean’s firm strokes. 

“You really should be inside me,” Gabriel told him in a tone so lewd that Dean nearly came undone. He dipped his head to nip at Dean’s collarbone, but Dean had had enough of the foreplay. He shifted their positions again and Gabriel settled beneath him once more, spreading and propping his legs in a way that gave Dean a whole new appreciation for the word ‘flexible.’ Gabriel’s grin was predatory. He had done this before. Dean followed his lead, putting his weight on his left arm as he positioned himself at Gabriel’s entrance. He hesitated, only realizing now how completely unprepared he was for this moment. 

Gabriel didn’t need telepathy to figure out what was going through Dean’s mind. He ran his hand up Dean’s left arm in an encouraging gesture. “I can take it,” he said. He distracted Dean by pulling him down for another kiss and the action pushed Dean forward, breaking through the taut ring of Gabriel’s entrance. Dean pushed the rest of the way through, the heat and tightness unlike anything he’d experienced before. 

“Sweet Jesus,” Dean groaned, doing his best not to lose it completely. 

Gabriel’s amusement was radiating from him. “You called out to my Father, and now to his Son. Who’s next? The –“ 

“You _talk_ too much,” Dean said, silencing Gabriel with a kiss. He soon found an even more effective way to keep Gabriel quiet as he began to move inside him. He gripped Gabriel’s right thigh for better leverage, setting a quick pace. He knew that he wasn’t going to last long. 

Gabriel threw his head back, a look of pure ecstasy on his face. His erection remained tightly trapped between their bodies and he thought about reaching down to relieve himself, but Dean was one step ahead of him. He’d moved his right hand from Gabriel’s thigh and squeezed it between their bodies to stroke Gabriel in time with his thrusts. Gabriel gripped Dean’s hips, fingers slipping against the slick sweat. He knew Dean was close. 

“Close your eyes,” he gasped, feeling his own orgasm building within him. 

Dean was too far gone to pay attention. 

Dean!” Gabriel barked, fingernails digging fiercely into the other’s hips. “Close your eyes!” 

Dean registered the words, although he didn’t understand the reason behind them. He did as he was told, resting his forehead against Gabriel’s left shoulder. His left arm was starting to strain under the pressure of holding his weight and his exertions, but he knew he wouldn’t have to do both for much longer. He could sense that something was happening to Gabriel, but with his eyes shut against Gabriel’s shoulder he could not tell what. He concentrated on his orgasm, feeling the familiar tingling sensation that signaled his release. When he came, it was with a shout that was completely drowned out by the rumbling sound that engulfed the room. The bed was shaking violently. During the tumult, Gabriel was holding him close, his arms wrapped around Dean’s back in a protective gesture. The deep rumbling was replaced by a long, loud wail, so thunderous that it reminded Dean of the air raid sirens that he knew had been used during the Second World War. This was the sound of an archangel’s voice. He tried to cover his ears before his eardrums shattered, but his body was paralyzed. 

Then he was falling. He didn’t know how, but he was. It felt like a waking dream. Dean struggled to open his eyes, and he feared for a moment that they had been welded shut. The blackness was a void around him and he was falling further and further into it. It was terrifying. But in that darkness he could sense a light, even though he could not see it. It was rising up to meet him and when it enveloped him at last, Dean was overwhelmed by a feeling of safety, serenity, warmth and love that he had never known in his life. The light was embracing him, almost caressing him and Dean reached out but there was nothing to grasp. A humming sound accompanied the brightness, but it was nothing like the siren wail that had threatened to burst his eardrums not long ago. It sounded more like a choir humming a single, prolonged note. Above the humming, a voice was whispering in a language that he did not recognize and yet he understood the words. It was addressing him, repeating his name. Then it was thanking him, promising to help him and stay with him, telling him that he would not face his destiny alone. At the end of the long road, the voice assured him, there would be a place waiting for him in paradise.

* * * * *

Sam stood outside Room 201, right hand poised and ready to knock. When Kali had returned them to the hotel, his first instinct had been to run to Room 201 to check on his brother but Kali had stopped him, assuring him yet again that Dean was fine and that he needed to rest. Sam needed to see Dean with his own eyes to be certain that his brother was all right, but somehow he had managed to refrain from beating down the door to the hotel room. Now it was nine o’clock and Sam’s patience had evaporated. Kali was nowhere in sight so there was no one to stop him from seeing Dean. He rapped on the door.

“It’s open!” Dean’s voice rang clearly through the door. 

Sam turned the knob and strode inside not entirely sure what to expect. The sight that greeted him was comfortingly mundane. Dean was packing his duffel bag, although how it got there was a mystery to Sam. He didn’t remember Dean taking it out of the Impala when they had returned from the diner last night. And by the dampness of Dean’s hair, Sam surmised that his brother had just gotten out of the shower. In fact, Sam was so relieved to see that Dean appeared to be perfectly fine that he couldn’t help the first words that came out of his mouth: 

“So, was it epic?” 

“Good morning to you too,” Dean answered, giving his brother one of his best I-hate-you-right-now glares. 

Sam laughed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “It was pretty epic from downstairs,” he continued. At Dean’s blank expression, Sam’s jaw dropped. “Oh, come on,” he said. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel it.” 

“Well,” Dean thought for a moment. “The bed shook. Violently,” he added, as if that would sound more convincing. 

“The bed shook?” Sam repeated disbelievingly. “Dean, there was a goddamned earthquake. I thought this building was going to collapse. Kali had to zap us out of here. That and…” 

“And what?” 

“And including Indiana, there’s no power in seven states.” 

“I guess it was epic.” Dean grinned. 

“I guess it worked too,” Sam pointed out. Suddenly realizing that they were having this conversation alone, Sam took a quick look around the room. “Where’s Gabriel?” 

“You didn’t really think he’d stick around, did you?” 

“Well . . . yeah. I guess I kinda did.” 

It was Dean’s turn to give his brother a disbelieving look. 

“So,” he said, deciding to change the subject, “if there’s no power in seven states, how come the lights and air-con are working here?” 

“Kali,” Sam replied. “But I’m pretty sure she only turned on the power at the hotel. Don’t think she couldn’t be bothered with the rest of the state.” 

“And where is she?” 

“She didn’t stick around either.” In response to Dean’s unspoken question, Sam added, “She still has our blood.” 

Dean groaned. This had to qualify as the worst morning after of his life, and he’d had his fair share of bad morning afters. The archangel had flown the coop, the pagan goddess still had their blood and . . . oh . . . the Apocalypse was still marching on. How was this not a lose-lose situation? 

“The Apocalypse will take more work,” said a familiar voice behind Dean, “but at least I have our blood.” 

Both brothers were startled by the voice. When Dean turned around Gabriel was there with his usual self-satisfied smirk. He was holding up three vials of blood, which he tossed in Sam’s direction. Sam scrambled to catch them and somehow succeeded. “Better get rid of those,” Gabriel told him. Then he glanced at Dean. “Did you really think I would just ditch you this morning?’ 

Dean opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything he’d already lost the archangel’s attention. Gabriel was looking at Sam again as he said, “Your brother and I need to talk.” And with a snap of Gabriel’s fingers, Sam vanished. 

“Where’d you send him? Dean asked, unable to hide the exasperation in his voice. 

“We’ll be joining him soon enough,” Gabriel answered. Dean’s stony expression told Gabriel that that answer wouldn’t cut it. “He’s having breakfast. Some place nice. It’ll be a surprise.” 

Dean turned his back on Gabriel, continuing to stuff his dirty shirt and jeans into his duffel bag. There was no way he was going to ask Gabriel where he’d been. He wasn’t playing the chick in this relationship. _What relationship?_ his mind yelled. Right. He wasn’t playing the chick in this . . . whatever it was. 

“I was in Rome,” Gabriel said. “Wanted to go for a morning flight. Missed my wings.” 

“Are you reading my mind?” Dean snapped. 

“You have very loud thoughts.” 

“Cut it out.” 

Dean could practically feel Gabriel grinning behind him and it annoyed him even more. 

“Rome has this little street café just off the Piazza della Rotunda called the Tazza d’Oro,” Gabriel said, walking towards Dean. “They make the best cappuccinos in the world.” He stopped beside Dean and held out a dark green paper cup ringed in gold. 

Dean looked at the coffee and then looked at Gabriel. 

“Did you fly to Rome to get me a cappuccino?” 

“No,” Gabriel shot back, a little too defensively. “I flew to Rome to get _me_ a cappuccino.” He shrugged. “And then I thought of you.” He was still holding the cup. “If you don’t want this . . .” 

Dean took the coffee and brought it to his lips. If he thought Gabriel’s answer sounded a tad romantic, he would never admit it to himself. He was about to take a sip when he stopped cold. A flicker of movement had caught his eye. At first he thought it was a shadow on the wall behind Gabriel, but it grew bigger and bigger, taking on a tangible and recognizable form. In an instant, Dean realized what was happening. Gabriel was unfurling his wings. 

“You can see them, can’t you?” Gabriel was watching him closely. 

Dean was too shocked to respond. 

“Impressive, aren’t they?” 

“In a freaky sort of way,” Dean managed to get out. 

Actually, Dean thought they were magnificent. Majestic. And badass. All those images of adorable cherubim with their fluffy white wings were banished forever. Gabriel’s wings were dark, the morning light rippling off the predominantly black feathers. Here and there Dean could see speckles of charcoal or dark taupe, but these patches blended into the black canvas as a whole. The wings were also enormous. Gabriel seemed to be holding them back, as though the room wouldn’t be able to accommodate their full length. 

“ _Why_ can I see them?” 

“Don’t you know the answer already?” 

“What? We have sex and suddenly I can see your wings?” 

Somehow Dean didn’t think it was as easy as that, and the way Gabriel shifted slightly, not by moving his body but by rustling his wings, served to confirm his suspicion. 

“You’ll find that some things will be different from now on,” Gabriel said evasively. 

“Such as?” 

The archangel tapped his chest. “The sigil on your ribs. That’ll work against the other angels, but not me.” A lightness returned to Gabriel’s tone. “I’ll be able to find you anywhere. Hell included.” 

“Stalker.” 

Gabriel grinned. “Try the coffee.” 

Dean had completely forgotten that he was holding the cup. He brought it to his lips again and took a long drink. Gabriel was waiting for his reaction. Dean grudgingly nodded his approval and Gabriel looked pleased. Normally, Dean just went for plain brewed coffee. It was Sam that preferred the lattes, macchiatos and whatever else was out there, but this cappuccino was something special. They stood in silence as Dean took another drink. Gabriel was flexing his wings minutely and Dean watched the movement in quiet awe. But if Gabriel thought their discussion was over, he was sorely mistaken. 

“Last night,” Dean began, “I saw your true form and heard your true voice. Didn’t I?” 

Gabriel looked up, his right wing snapping back. “It’s the chicks who talk about their feelings, Dean,” he teased. 

“I’m not talking about my feelings,” Dean said firmly. “I want answers.” 

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed and his wings flexed one more time before they folded in on themselves, disappearing behind his back as Gabriel hid their form completely. Dean took note of the action and wondered if it was one of Gabriel’s defenses. 

“No,” Gabriel replied, all humor gone from his voice. “You don’t have the ability to see my true form or hear my true voice.” 

If Gabriel was bluffing, Dean couldn’t call him out on it. But he knew that Gabriel was holding out on him. Something _had_ happened last night, something much more significant than just sex. He just couldn’t remember what it was exactly, and even if he could, would he be able to make sense of it? He wondered if Gabriel had something to do with that. 

“Sam’s waiting,” Gabriel said, indicating that they should leave. 

“Gabriel –“ 

Dean wasn’t about to let this go, but Gabriel had other ideas. Taking a page from Dean’s book, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Dean’s. Dean tried to resist but Gabriel’s mouth was too inviting, tasting too much of coffee and chocolate and all things sweet. He melted into the kiss, aware of something cool ghosting over his back and brushing against his arms. The sensation made his skin tingle, but it was not unpleasant. 

“Don’t think that’s always going to work,” Dean warned him when the kiss ended. He was trying to ignore the bizarre feeling of being cradled by an angel’s wings. Gabriel appraised him and Dean could see the challenge in his eyes. 

Instead of replying, Gabriel merely stepped back and stretched his wings once more, holding out a hand to Dean as he did so. “Sam’s waiting,” he repeated. 

Dean shook his head. Being with Gabriel was going to take a hell of a lot of work, something he wasn’t used to. But maybe . . . maybe this would be worth it. 

It was, after all, the end of the world. 

 

**Fin.**

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: _Supernatural_ is the property of Eric Kripke and The CW. No infringement is intended, no profit is being made.


End file.
